Brake systems for aircraft and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186362-B2
Application number	US-201816222633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

Braking systems for aircraft are disclosed. An example braking system includes a brake pad movably coupled to a lower section of a fuselage of the aircraft. The brake pad is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. An actuator is configured to deploy the brake pad from the fuselage during an emergency braking event. The brake pad to engage a surface of a runway and increase frictional force to reduce a speed of the aircraft during the emergency braking event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having a cavity housing an emergency braking system, the emergency braking system including:
a brake pad having a plurality of openings, the brake pad movably coupled to a lower section of the fuselage, the brake pad movable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the fuselage;
an actuator to pivotally couple the brake pad and the fuselage, the actuator configured to deploy the brake pad from the fuselage during an emergency braking event of the aircraft the brake pad structured to engage a surface of a runway and increase frictional force to reduce a speed of the aircraft during the emergency braking event;
a plurality of suction generators, each of the suction generators in fluid communication with a respective one of the openings, the suction generators to provide a suction force through the openings to maintain the brake pad in engagement with the surface of the runway during the emergency braking event; and
a brake system controller to:
identify a hazardous condition;
determine a braking distance required to avoid the hazardous condition based on at least one of a measured speed of the aircraft or a deceleration of the aircraft; and
in response to determining that the braking distance is insufficient to avoid the hazardous condition, command the actuator to deploy the brake pad and activate the suction generators.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , further including a sled pivotally coupled to the fuselage via one or more links, the sled to support the brake pad.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the suction force is to cause a peripheral edge of the brake pad to seal against the surface of the runway when the brake pad is in engagement with the runway during the emergency braking event.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the hazardous condition includes at least one of an end of the runway or an object.

5. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the braking system further includes a variable pitch fan, the variable pitch fan operable to provide braking force for the aircraft.

6. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the brake system controller identifies a hazardous condition present during a braking event, the braking event including at least one of a landing event or a failed take-off attempt.

7. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the braking system is to generate up to 5 g-force of negative thrust during the emergency braking event.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 , further including an alarm generator to generate an alarm in a passenger cabin of the aircraft indicating that the emergency braking system is to deploy.

9. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage; and
an emergency brake system positioned in a lower surface of the fuselage, the emergency brake system including;
a housing;
a brake carried by the housing and extending proximate a front landing gear and at least partially between a left rear landing gear and a right rear landing gear;
a link to pivotally couple the housing to a frame of the fuselage;
a suction generator to generate a vacuum within a peripheral boundary of the brake when the brake is in engagement with a surface of a runway, the fuselage defining a cavity to house the brake when the brake is in a stowed position, the brake to project from a cavity of the fuselage when the brake is in a deployed position;
a cover positioned over the brake and at least a portion of an exterior surface of the fuselage to cover the brake when the brake is in the stowed position, the cover to completely detach from the fuselage when the brake moves to the deployed position; and
a brake system controller including a hazardous condition identifier, the brake system controller to deploy the brake in response to the hazardous condition identifier detecting a hazardous condition.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 , further including an actuator to move the brake from the stowed position to the deployed position.

11. The aircraft of claim 9 , further including an airfoil carried by at least one of the link or the housing, the airfoil to generate a downward force on the brake when the brake is in a deployed position.

12. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the suction generator is to generate a vacuum within a perimeter of the brake to maintain the brake in engagement with the runway when the brake is in a deployed position.

13. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein an area of the brake is approximately 100 square feet.

14. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the brake includes a plurality of brake pads.

15. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the brake generates up to 5 g-force of negative thrust during an emergency braking event.

16. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the hazardous condition identifier is to detect the hazardous condition by:
determining a braking distance required to avoid the hazardous condition based on at least one of a measured speed of the aircraft or a deceleration of the aircraft; and
in response to determining that the braking distance is insufficient to avoid the identified hazardous condition, deploy the brake.

17. The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the controller is to activate the suction generator after deploying the brake.

18. The aircraft of claim 17 , wherein the controller is to operate an actuator to cause the brake to pivot from a lower surface of a fuselage of the aircraft from a stowed position to a deployed position.

19. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
landing gear carried by the fuselage;
an emergency brake system carried by the fuselage and positioned between the landing gear, the emergency brake system positioned within the fuselage when the emergency brake system is in a stowed condition, the emergency brake system to project from the fuselage when the emergency brake system is in a deployed condition to engage a surface of a runway during an emergency braking event, the brake system including:
a housing;
a brake pad carried by the housing, the brake pad having raised surfaces to increase friction with the surface of the runway during the emergency braking event;
a link pivotally coupling the housing to a frame of the fuselage;
a suction generator to generate a vacuum within a peripheral boundary of the brake pad when the brake pad is in engagement with the surface of the runway;
a door coupled to the fuselage, the door positioned at a belly portion of the fuselage between the landing gear, the door to act as a cover for the braking system, the door to move to a closed position to cover the brake pad when the emergency brake system is in the stowed position and an open position to uncover the brake pad when the emergency brake system is in the deployed position; and
a brake system controller to:
identify a hazardous condition;
determine a braking distance required to avoid the hazardous condition based on at least one of a measured speed of the aircraft or a deceleration of the aircraft; and
in response to determining that the braking distance is insufficient to avoid the hazardous condition, command the actuator to deploy the emergency brake pad and activate the suction generators.

20. The aircraft of claim 19 , further including an airfoil carried by at least one of the link or the housing, the airfoil to generate a downward force on the brake pad when the brake pad is in a deployed position.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mackin Steve G
• Jasklowski Christopher T

Classifications

• B60T1/14 Primary

  directly on road (portable devices, e.g. chocks B60T3/00) · CPC title

• B60T1/16

  by increasing air resistance, e.g. flaps · CPC title

• B64D17/80

  in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof · CPC title

• B64D29/06

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• B64C25/42 Primary

  Arrangement or adaptation of brakes · CPC title